Thursday, October 25, 2012

Russian Charoite

Purple Stones at their best

For quite some time now, we have been looking for some Russian Charoite stones that we could cut and cab. Recently, we found some ! We are very excited about this, as, most of what we have found has been so expensive, it was well out of our reach.

The stones have a gorgeous coloring in various shades of purple, and a light chatoyance, which just adds to the beauty and appearance of the stone.

It is said that Charoite has very good healing properties, but for us it's just the natural beauty of the stone that attracts. If you love purple, and are generally looking at Amethyst in purple stones, this is a wonderful choice to add to your collection of stone jewelry.

If you are looking for other alternative purple stones, some of the choices are:

Amethyst

Flourite

Sugalite

Lepidolite

Charoite

There are others out there, we just haven't located them all yet, but.....we will!! So stay tuned!!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Charoite (K(Ca;Na)2Si4O10(OH;F)·H2O)[3] is a rare silicate mineral, first described in 1978 and named for the Chara River.[2] It has been reported only from the Sakha Republic, Yakutia, Siberia, Russia.[3] It is found where a syenite of the Murunskii Massif has intruded into and altered limestone deposits producing a potassium feldsparmetasomatite.[1][2]
Charoite is translucent lavender to purple in color with a pearly
lustre. Charoite is strictly massive in nature, and fractures are
conchoidal. It has an unusual swirling, fibrous appearance, sometimes chatoyant, and that, along with its intense color, can lead many to believe at first that it is synthetic or enhanced artificially.
Though reportedly discovered in the 1940s, it was not known to the
outside world until its description in 1978. It is said to be opaque and
unattractive when found in the field; a fact that may have contributed
to its late recognition.
Charoite occurs in association with tinaksite and canasite.[3]

About Superior Agates

Just a couple of rock hounds who love all shapes sizes and colors of rocks. We love making cabochons, discovering the beauty the lies within each stone. Our mission is to provide you with quality cabochons and jewelry, at an affordable price. See us on Facebook, and on Etsy to learn more about us!!